Post by mhbruin on Mar 6, 2022 10:27:06 GMT -8
US Vaccine Data - We Have Now Administered 555 Million Shots (Population 333 Million)
First time we have been below 50,000 cases since July 22nd.
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California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday March 1)
There is some rain in the Nor Cal forecast for the next two weeks, but no major storms.
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Today's Worst Person in the World Nominees
They Can't Resist a Target-Rich Environment
An attempt to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol was halted for the second day in a row Sunday after Ukraine said Russian forces violated a temporary cease-fire with a barrage of shelling.
“The Russians began to regroup their forces,” Mariupol City Council said on its Telegram channel, adding that “heavy shelling of the city” had resumed.
“It is extremely dangerous to evacuate people in such conditions,” the council said. It added that a humanitarian aid convoy that left for Mariupol from the city of Zaporizhia, around 125 miles away, had “not yet reached its destination.”
They Can't Resist Giving Putin a Target
Two Republican senators are facing criticism after tweeting photos of a video call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy even though participating lawmakers were told to not share pictures on social media while it was in progress.
Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Steve Daines of Montana posted pictures of Zelenskyy on their Twitter accounts during the Zoom meeting Saturday morning, writing that they were on a call with him.
Democratic Reps. Dean Phillips of Minnesota and Jason Crow of Colorado criticized the senators on Twitter.
Phillips on Saturday also said that lawmakers were asked by the US Ambassador to Ukraine not to share visual details of the meeting to "protect the security" of Zelensky, who remains in a precarious position as he rallies his citizens against the Russian assault on Ukraine.
"Appalling and reckless ignorance by two U.S. Senators," Phillips wrote.
The Stable Genius Speaks
He Believes the Children Are Their Future. Blow Them Up and They Won't Lead the Way, Show Us all the Organs They Possess Inside.
Ramble On
Can a Pillow Cause Nightmares
Mike Lindell, the increasingly off-the-rails MyPillow CEO and Donald Trump acolyte, announced Saturday that he’s filing a “class action lawsuit” against “all machines” to support his and Trump’s lie that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
One Twitter user quipped that his washing machine and dryer have hired an attorney in response.
Is the Parody Any Further Out Than the Real Thing?
People Pay to Hear This
Former president Donald Trump mused Saturday to the GOP’s top donors that the United States should label its F-22 planes with the Chinese flag and “bomb the s--t out of Russia.”
He also praised North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as “seriously tough,” claimed he was harder on Vladimir Putin than any other president, reiterated his false claims that he won the 2020 election, urged his party to be “tougher” on supposed election fraud, disparaged a range of prominent party opponents and called global warming “a great hoax” that could actually bring a welcome development: more waterfront property.
“And then we say, China did it, we didn’t do it, China did it, and then they start fighting with each other and we sit back and watch,” he said of labeling U.S. military planes with Chinese flags and bombing Russia, which was met with laughter from the crowd of donors, according to a recording of the speech obtained by The Washington Post.
His 84-minute address to about 250 of the Republican Party’s top donors at the elite Four Seasons focused heavily on foreign policy and his claims that the 2020 election was “rigged,” as he ticked through a smorgasbord of topics and perceived enemies, using vulgarities and jokes that often drew raucous laughter. Trump also took pictures with some of the party’s top donors and participated in a pricey roundtable for about 10 of them.
The Media LOVES Bad News
The Money Was Going to Children. Melania Has Children. What Else Do They Need to Know?
A Florida fund-raiser planned for April that was to feature Melania Trump has been called off after state regulators there concluded that the company working with the former first lady to organize the charitable event had not properly registered to solicit contributions.
Mrs. Trump had announced in late January plans for what she called “Tulips & Topiaries,” a gathering at an undisclosed location in Naples, Fla., that would feature an “elaborate flower garden with tulips” and “delicious hors d’oeuvres alongside tea and bubbles.” Tickets were put on sale for as much as $50,000 for a VIP table, with the money, she said, slated to provide scholarships to children emerging from foster care.
Considering how childish the entire Trump crime family is, I guess we should be relieved the would-be scholarships were reserved for actual children.
But Whip Fundraising, a consulting firm that helped organize the event, only registered as required by the state in recent days, after Florida officials began investigating the matter. Florida requires certain organizations that ask for charitable donations among Florida residents to first file with the state and then report how the money will be spent.
What? No Samuri Sword?
Lonnie Coffman of Alabama, 72 years young, thought he would go to D.C. on Jan 6th on a mission to find out from someone in authority if his vote counted. Well, let’s see that quote about his mild mannered intentions:
“My objective was to try to discover just how true and secure was the election on November 3rd, 2020. Did my vote go to the people I intended it to?” Coffman wrote.
“When I realized just how unrealistic it was for me to think I could get close enough to anyone who would even listen to me, I walked around on the outskirts of the event briefly, then left and started back to where my vehicle was parked.”
Too bad Lonnie Coffman was carrying around an unregistered handgun on his person.
And too bad for Coffman that the police found the following in his truck:
Items found in Coffman’s truck parked near the Capitol that day included 11 Molotov cocktails in mason jars, a loaded 9 mm handgun, a loaded rifle, several large-capacity ammunition-feeding devices loaded with more than 10 rounds of rifle ammunition, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a crossbow with bolts, several machetes, camouflage smoke devices, and stun gun.
All You Need to Know: Machin Get Money From Big Oil. Alaska Gets It's Money From Oil
There's growing momentum in Congress to ban US imports of Russian oil.
A bipartisan bill, unveiled this week by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, would do just that.
Is Russia Becoming North Korea?
Major international news outlets including the BBC, CNN and Bloomberg will suspend operations in Russia in response to a new law criminalizing news reports that contradict the Kremlin’s version of the war in Ukraine.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law that criminalizes spreading what the government deems to be fake news, The Associated Press reported.
Under the new measure, a statement as simple as referring to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as a “war” rather than a “special military operation” could constitute criminal disinformation, according to The New York Times.
Punishment could include fines or up to three years’ imprisonment, with 15 years possible if authorities decide a report had “severe consequences.”
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Today's Best Person in the World Nominees
We're Going to Miss Jen
I Usually Hate Influencers, But She's Not Giving Makeup Tips
Marta Vasyuta is a regular 20-year-old Ukrainian. And like many people of her age she's on TikTok.
Until last week she had a few hundred followers on the video-sharing app. She posted videos from nights out, and lip-synced to her favourite music.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, she happened to be in the UK visiting friends she'd met at university. She watched in horror at reports of Russian bombs falling on Kyiv.
What she did next turned Marta into a TikTok influencer - almost overnight.
Since 23 February, the videos she's posted from the conflict in Ukraine have garnered tens of millions of views. For many people on TikTok, and in particular younger people, she's become a key curator of news on the ground in Ukraine.
"I just want people to understand that Ukraine is not only a problem of Ukrainians, it's everyone's problem," she says.
Marta speaks fluent Ukrainian, Russian and English.
At Least It's Only Excused Administrative Leave
A Florida high school student has been suspended indefinitely after handing out pride flags during a walkout to protest the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Flagler Palm Coast High School junior Jack Petocz helped organize a statewide walkout on Thursday to protest House Bill 1557, a hugely controversial measure that would prohibit school instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
About 500 students at his Palm Coast school participated in Thursday’s walkout, chanting, “Say gay!” Petocz handed out 200 pride flags he said he purchased with his own money. Students had been given just 15 minutes to protest.
Petocz told the Daytona Beach News-Journal he was called into the principal’s office after the protest, “told I was disrespectful and openly advocating against staff.”
“They suspended me from campus until further notice. I informed the principal I wasn’t going to speak with him and was going to talk to a lawyer,” Petocz added.
He said an hour before the protest, the principal pulled him aside and specifically complained about the flags. “He told me I wouldn’t be allowed to [distribute the flags]. He went further to question the intentions of our protest, asking if pride flags were relevant to opposition to the bill.”
A spokesperson for the Flagler school district insisted in a statement to the Daytona newspaper that Petocz had not been suspended but had been “placed on excused administrative leave” while school officials investigate.
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Invasions Have Consequences
They're Getting Hungrier in Those Sheet-Hole Countries
Even in the weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, food prices in many African countries had already been exploding. The price of wheat flour has risen by 15 percent over last year’s prices, and it is a third higher for cooking oil. But the war in Ukraine promises to make the situation even worse. "Already, 276 million people in 81 countries are facing acute hunger. The world simply cannot afford an additional conflict," says Martin Frick, director of the World Food Program (WFP) in Germany.
He says that more than half of the foodstuffs that WFP distributes in crisis regions around the world comes from Ukraine. "Putin’s war isn’t just bringing immeasurable suffering to Ukraine," Frick says. "The effects will be felt far beyond the region."
The Credit Cards Don't Work 'Cause the Vandals Took the Handles
Visa and Mastercard announced Saturday evening that the companies will suspend all operations in Russia, following a plea to do so made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a videoconference earlier in the day with U.S. lawmakers.
“Cards issued by Russian banks will no longer be supported by the Mastercard network. And any Mastercard issued outside of the country will not work at Russian merchants or ATMs,” said a statement from the company.
As for Visa, transactions “initiated with Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside the country, and any Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside of Russia will no longer work within the Russian Federation,” according to a statement from Visa Inc.
Visa will also no longer support domestic transactions in Russia, according to the company. All transactions will be the responsibility of Russia’s National Payment Card System, NSPK.
Vlad the Invader Wanted to Weaken NATO
The Russians Are Leaving! The Russians are Leaving!
At Vaalimaa, Finland's border crossing with Russia - 120 miles east of Helsinki - buses and cars stop for passport and customs checks. These aren't Ukrainians, they're Russians, and although the flow isn't heavy, it is constant.
Some people are anxious to get out of Russia because there has been a persistent rumour that President Vladimir Putin's government might soon introduce martial law to deal with demonstrations against the invasion of Ukraine.
With flights to Europe halted, the only way out of the country is by car - crossing this border - or by train.
No More Hairpin Turns for Mazepin
Russian driver Nikita Mazepin has been sacked by the Haas team as a result of his country's invasion of Ukraine.
The US-based outfit have also terminated the contract of their title sponsor, the Russian chemicals company Uralkali.
Uralkali is part-owned by Mazepin's billionaire father Dmitry, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, through his company Uralchem.
Haas said news on Mazepin's replacement was expected early next week.
He Was Caught Committing a BUWB (Backing Up While Black)
A former Kansas City police officer convicted in the killing in 2019 of a Black man who was backing a pickup truck into his garage was sentenced Friday to six years in prison and will remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed.
Eric DeValkenaere, who's White, was sentenced to three years for the involuntary manslaughter of Cameron Lamb and six years for armed criminal actions, Valerie Hartman, a spokesperson for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court, told CNN.
The fatal shooting happened on December 3, 2019, when DeValkenaere and his partner responded to a traffic incident involving a red pickup truck in Kansas City, according to the indictment.
A police helicopter had observed a red pickup truck driving, and entering a driveway at the back of a home. The officers, dressed in plain clothes and wearing police department vests, arrived at the home and entered the backyard without a legal warrant and with their guns drawn, the indictment states.
Lamb was "slowly backing" the pickup truck down a ramp into the basement garage, and DeValkenaere's partner was on Lamb's side of the truck and could see him when he arrived. The officers attempted to tell Lamb to stop, but it's unclear whether he heard them, the indictment says.
DeValkenaere fired four times at Lamb, claiming he saw Lamb's left hand reach for a gun and point it at his partner.
"I remember thinking, 'No, this can't happen. I can't let this happen," DeValkenaere said, on the witness stand during the trial, reports KSHB.
"You can't let him shoot Troy?" defense attorney Molly Hastings asked.
"Right," DeValkenaere said before grabbing a Kleenex to dab tears from his eyes.
But according to his partner, Lamb had his left hand on the steering wheel, with his fingers spread apart, and Lamb also held up his left hand with no gun in it, the indictment states. Two of the bullets struck Lamb, it says.
Investigators identified a gun on the ground beneath Lamb's left hand where the truck finally came to rest, the indictment said.
Lamb was right-handed, and medical records later showed that he did not have full use of his left hand due to an injury before the shooting, it said.
Don't They Also Need a Police Force For Unicorn Crime and Orc Crime?
The Florida Senate passed a voting law package Friday that was pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and would create a police force dedicated to pursuing election crimes.
The chamber approved the bill on a party lines vote with nearly all Republicans in support. House lawmakers are considering companion legislation.
DeSantis, a Republican, proposed the need for an election police unit last year, citing unspecified allegations of fraud that have gained traction in parts of the GOP following former President Donald Trump's false claims that his reelection was stolen.
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Headline of the Week: "Stolen box of human heads investigated by Denver police"
The box was being transported for medical research purposes, police said in an email.
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What Do Jobs Numbers Really Mean?
Friday was a good day for U.S. economic news, at least on the employment front. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the country added 678,000 jobs in February, and that’s coming off of 2021’s run of good reports.
But before anyone runs around trumpeting that number, it might be better to see what the “revised” figures look like next month — and beyond. Because the last year has shown just how hard it is to get a handle on the economy in a world dominated by a global pandemic.
When you look at the first reported jobs numbers and their later revisions since last January, you see a stark difference between “real-time” data (or close to real-time data) and data that has been vetted and analyzed. There have been some enormous swings.
Why Put Out Numbers You Know Are Wrong?
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Hurry Up and Dump Your Soda Bottles in the Ocean. You Only Have 2 More Years.
The fifth United Nations (U.N.) Environment Assembly concluded with a bit of good news: 14 resolutions were adopted that align with the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, one of which commits to putting an end to plastic pollution. The “end plastic pollution” resolution that was unanimously approved by 175 member nations lays the groundwork for a treaty “that addresses the full lifecycle of plastic from source to sea,” according to a fact sheet. There is much to consider when reducing and eliminating plastic waste, including plastic reusability, addressing microplastics that have wreaked havoc on ecosystems, and finding a way to sustainably produce and consume plastic goods. The agreement, which now must be created, will be adopted by 2024.
Another Urgent Crisis We Will Try to Fix in a Few Years. Maybe. Unless Something Else Comes Up.
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Ukraine Is Winning a Few
One Hundred Went In. Four Came Out
Did You Know Aeroflop Doesn't Own Any of It's Planes and They Could Be Repossessed? Tough Job for a Repo Man.
Murdering Women and Children Isn't All Fun and Games
Attack of the Killer Cucumbers
In Kyiv a woman knocked down a Russian drone from a balcony with a jar of cucumbers. How did they expect to occupy this country?
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Who Won the Week?
Chef José Andrés, for setting up a massive kitchen operation at the Ukraine-Poland border to serve hot food to refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion
All the nations (even perpetually-neutral Switzerland) that are freezing virtually every Russian asset they can get their hands on
President Biden: Boffo SOTU address; new "test-to-treat" Covid protocols get rave reviews; managing international response to Russia's invasion with quiet efficiency, as Putin feared
The Ukrainian people---even the grandmothers---for putting up a much fiercer fight against the demoralized Russian army than anyone predicted, including open mockery to their faces
The UN General Assembly, for voting to condemn Russia over its invasion; and the 140 Human Rights Council members who walked out on foreign minister Lavrov's speech
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for achieving hero status by donning combat boots and fighting the Russians in the streets with his military and citizens
Social media, as the freezing of Russian assets causes a virtual disappearance of trolls disguised as "freedom-loving American veteran Christian patriots" on Twitter, Facebook, etc.
The Russian people who are defying their war criminal dictator by protesting in cities across the country, many getting jailed for it (even kids)
The Justice Dept., for securing a guilty plea of seditious conspiracy against, and cooperation from, a leader of the Oath Keepers terrorist group, blowing the Jan. 6 investigation wide open
Joe Biden
Overall approval rating jumped to 47%, up 8 points from the NPR poll last month. Presidents don't generally see much, if any bounce, out of a State of the Union address. Since 1978, there had only been six times when a president saw an approval rating improve 4 points or more following State of the Union addresses, according to the pollsters. Three of those bounces were for former President Bill Clinton.
Ukraine handling is up 18 points to 52%.
Coronavirus pandemic handling is now 55%, up 8 points.
Economic handling up 8 points to 45%.
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You Can't Spell "Crypt" Without Crypto
Many major cryptocurrency exchanges put forth defiant statements this week when Ukraine asked them to freeze any accounts belonging to Russians, with some exchanges calling upon crypto’s history of libertarian ideals to back up their decisions.
More quietly, however, many were complying with the sanctions plan aimed at devastating the Russian economy.
The gap between the words and actions of crypto’s biggest players points to the challenges that the crypto community now faces as a mainstream industry in the midst of a geopolitical and humanitarian crisis — one that now looks like a defining moment for cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum.
On the Ukrainian side, digital coins have lived up to their reputation for easily moving money across international borders, as sympathizers with the Ukrainian cause have raised the equivalent of more than $54 million through cryptocurrency donations.
But on the Russian side, the supposedly borderless form of money has instead collided with the reality of international sanctions spurred by a major European conflict — and also the moral question of whether participants in the crypto markets could unwittingly help fuel a war of aggression or help Russian oligarchs preserve their wealth.
In between, cryptocurrency exchanges and bitcoin hardliners — both of whom have espoused what they say is the libertarian ethos embedded in crypto — have had to wrestle with tough questions about just how much they want to embrace a technology that critics argue has little practical value aside from money laundering and investment hedging while requiring huge amounts of electricity and the burning of fossil fuels.
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They Want Churchill to Be Charles de Gaulle
U.S. and allies quietly prepare for a Ukrainian government-in-exile and a long insurgency
The Ukrainian military has mounted an unexpectedly fierce defense against invading Russian forces, which have been dogged by logistical problems and flagging morale. But the war is barely two weeks old, and in Washington and European capitals, officials anticipate that the Russian military will reverse its early losses, setting the stage for a long, bloody insurgency.
The ways that Western countries would support a Ukrainian resistance are beginning to take shape. Officials have been reluctant to discuss detailed plans, since they’re premised on a Russian military victory that, however likely, hasn’t happened yet. But as a first step, Ukraine’s allies are planning for how to help establish and support a government-in-exile, which could direct guerrilla operations against Russian occupiers, according to several U.S. and European officials.
The weapons the United States has provided to Ukraine’s military, and that continue to flow into the country, would be crucial to the success of an insurgent movement, officials said. The Biden administration has asked Congress, infused with a rare bipartisan spirit in defense of Ukraine, to take up a $10 billion humanitarian aid and military package that includes funding to replenish the stocks of weapons that have already been sent.
Should the United States and its allies choose to back an insurgency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be the pivotal force, officials said, maintaining morale and rallying Ukrainians living under Russian occupation to resist their powerful and well-equipped foe.
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I Don't Know If This is True
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Irony Alert: Facebook and Reliable Information?
Facebook has hit out at a ban on its platforms introduced in Russia on Friday amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Russia's communications regulator said the ban was a response to restrictions placed on its media there.
It said there had been 26 cases of "discrimination" against Russian media by Facebook since October 2020.
There were also reports that the use of Twitter had been restricted by the Russian regulator, Roskomnadzor, on Friday evening.
Facebook's president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, said that "soon millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information".
Facebook had previously been limited in the country, along with platforms including Twitter.
It's Scary to Think that Facebook Was More Reliable Than the Russian Media
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Here Are Some Truckers I Can Get Behind
Inadequate truck parking over the past several decades is one reason why truckers have left the industry, contributing to the nationwide shortage of roughly 80,000 drivers that has exacerbated global supply chain issues, experts say.
“The answer is absolutely, yes. It’s one of the top reasons why they are leaving,” Daniel Murray, senior vice-president of the American Transportation Research Institute, said of the lack of truck parking. “When truck parking goes south, they just throw up their hands and say ‘I’m out of here’ and find another job that doesn’t create the stress and anxiety.”
The American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association last month asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to use funding from the federal infrastructure bill to construct designated parking areas for truckers to improve safety and working conditions.
“The scarcity of truck parking spaces across the country decreases safety for all highway users, exacerbates the industry’s long-standing workforce challenges, contributes negatively to driver health and well-being and diminishes trucking productivity,” the groups wrote Feb. 18.
The associations said truckers move more than 70 percent of the country’s domestic freight.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said during a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing Tuesday that the agency is "very concerned" about the lack of parking.
Although I Hate Being Behind a Truck.
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First time we have been below 50,000 cases since July 22nd.
New Cases 7-Day Average | Deaths 7-Day Average | |
| Mar 6 | ||
| Mar 5 | ||
| Mar 4 | 45,555 | 1,319 |
| Mar 3 | 49,888 | 1,413 |
| Mar 2 | 53,016 | 1,558 |
| Mar 1 | 56,253 | 1,674 |
| Feb 28 | 68,480 | 1,832 |
| Feb 27 | 62,556 | 1,686 |
| Feb 26 | 66,053 | 1,719 |
| Feb 25 | 69,203 | 1,751 |
| Feb 24 | 72,111 | 1,720 |
| Feb 23 | 75,208 | 1,674 |
| Feb 22 | 79,539 | 1,602 |
| Feb 21 | 78,306 | 1,872 |
| Feb 20 | 98,012 | 1,872 |
| Feb 19 | 100,129 | 1,890 |
| Feb 18 | 103,462 | 1,920 |
| Feb 17 | 112,653 | 1,998 |
| Feb 16 | 121,664 | 2,020 |
| Feb 15 | 134,468 | 2,100 |
| Feb 14 | 146,921 | 2,208 |
| Feb 13 | 161,197 | 2,196 |
| Feb 12 | 168,881 | 2,197 |
| Feb 11 | 175,395 | 2,241 |
| Feb 10 | 190,401 | 2,305 |
| Feb 9 | 215,418 | 2,313 |
| Feb 8 | 230,602 | 2,303 |
| Feb 7 | 247,319 | 2,404 |
| Feb 6 | 291,471 | 2,294 |
| Feb 5 | 298,890 | 2,331 |
| Feb 4 | 313,117 | 2,404 |
| Feb 16, 2021 | 78,292 |
| At Least One Dose | Fully Vaccinated | % of Vaccinated W/ Boosters | |
| % of Total Population | 76.5% | 65.1% | 444.0% |
| % of Population 5+ | 81.3% | 69.2% | |
| % of Population 12+ | 86.2% | 73.5% | 45.4% |
| % of Population 18+ | 87.9% | 75.1% | 47.3% |
| % of Population 65+ | 95.0% | 88.8% | 66.5% |
California Precipitation (Updated Tuesday March 1)
There is some rain in the Nor Cal forecast for the next two weeks, but no major storms.
| Percent of Average for this Date | Last Week | 2 Weeks ago | 3 Weeks ago | 9 Weeks ago | |
| Northern Sierra Precipitation | 87% (60%) | 93% (60%) | 99% (59%) | 105% (59% of average for full season) | 170% |
| San Joaquin Precipitation | 76% (51%) | 80% (51%) | 86% (51%) | 92% (51%) | 170% |
| Tulare Basin Precipitation | 70% (48%) | 75% (47%) | 79% (46%) | 84% (46%) | 151% |
| Snow Water Content - North | 59% (53%) | 61% (52%) | 68% (53%) | 80% (58%) | 134% |
| Snow Water Content - Central | 58% (66%) | 71% (59%) | 75% (57%) | 80% (57%) | 148% |
| Snow Water Content - South | 54% (63%) | 67% (54%) | 74% (54%) | 81% (57%) | 158% |
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Today's Worst Person in the World Nominees
They Can't Resist a Target-Rich Environment
An attempt to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol was halted for the second day in a row Sunday after Ukraine said Russian forces violated a temporary cease-fire with a barrage of shelling.
“The Russians began to regroup their forces,” Mariupol City Council said on its Telegram channel, adding that “heavy shelling of the city” had resumed.
“It is extremely dangerous to evacuate people in such conditions,” the council said. It added that a humanitarian aid convoy that left for Mariupol from the city of Zaporizhia, around 125 miles away, had “not yet reached its destination.”
They Can't Resist Giving Putin a Target
Two Republican senators are facing criticism after tweeting photos of a video call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy even though participating lawmakers were told to not share pictures on social media while it was in progress.
Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Steve Daines of Montana posted pictures of Zelenskyy on their Twitter accounts during the Zoom meeting Saturday morning, writing that they were on a call with him.
Democratic Reps. Dean Phillips of Minnesota and Jason Crow of Colorado criticized the senators on Twitter.
Phillips on Saturday also said that lawmakers were asked by the US Ambassador to Ukraine not to share visual details of the meeting to "protect the security" of Zelensky, who remains in a precarious position as he rallies his citizens against the Russian assault on Ukraine.
"Appalling and reckless ignorance by two U.S. Senators," Phillips wrote.
The Stable Genius Speaks
He Believes the Children Are Their Future. Blow Them Up and They Won't Lead the Way, Show Us all the Organs They Possess Inside.
Ramble On
Can a Pillow Cause Nightmares
Mike Lindell, the increasingly off-the-rails MyPillow CEO and Donald Trump acolyte, announced Saturday that he’s filing a “class action lawsuit” against “all machines” to support his and Trump’s lie that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
One Twitter user quipped that his washing machine and dryer have hired an attorney in response.
Is the Parody Any Further Out Than the Real Thing?
People Pay to Hear This
Former president Donald Trump mused Saturday to the GOP’s top donors that the United States should label its F-22 planes with the Chinese flag and “bomb the s--t out of Russia.”
He also praised North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as “seriously tough,” claimed he was harder on Vladimir Putin than any other president, reiterated his false claims that he won the 2020 election, urged his party to be “tougher” on supposed election fraud, disparaged a range of prominent party opponents and called global warming “a great hoax” that could actually bring a welcome development: more waterfront property.
“And then we say, China did it, we didn’t do it, China did it, and then they start fighting with each other and we sit back and watch,” he said of labeling U.S. military planes with Chinese flags and bombing Russia, which was met with laughter from the crowd of donors, according to a recording of the speech obtained by The Washington Post.
His 84-minute address to about 250 of the Republican Party’s top donors at the elite Four Seasons focused heavily on foreign policy and his claims that the 2020 election was “rigged,” as he ticked through a smorgasbord of topics and perceived enemies, using vulgarities and jokes that often drew raucous laughter. Trump also took pictures with some of the party’s top donors and participated in a pricey roundtable for about 10 of them.
The Media LOVES Bad News
The Money Was Going to Children. Melania Has Children. What Else Do They Need to Know?
A Florida fund-raiser planned for April that was to feature Melania Trump has been called off after state regulators there concluded that the company working with the former first lady to organize the charitable event had not properly registered to solicit contributions.
Mrs. Trump had announced in late January plans for what she called “Tulips & Topiaries,” a gathering at an undisclosed location in Naples, Fla., that would feature an “elaborate flower garden with tulips” and “delicious hors d’oeuvres alongside tea and bubbles.” Tickets were put on sale for as much as $50,000 for a VIP table, with the money, she said, slated to provide scholarships to children emerging from foster care.
Considering how childish the entire Trump crime family is, I guess we should be relieved the would-be scholarships were reserved for actual children.
But Whip Fundraising, a consulting firm that helped organize the event, only registered as required by the state in recent days, after Florida officials began investigating the matter. Florida requires certain organizations that ask for charitable donations among Florida residents to first file with the state and then report how the money will be spent.
What? No Samuri Sword?
Lonnie Coffman of Alabama, 72 years young, thought he would go to D.C. on Jan 6th on a mission to find out from someone in authority if his vote counted. Well, let’s see that quote about his mild mannered intentions:
“My objective was to try to discover just how true and secure was the election on November 3rd, 2020. Did my vote go to the people I intended it to?” Coffman wrote.
“When I realized just how unrealistic it was for me to think I could get close enough to anyone who would even listen to me, I walked around on the outskirts of the event briefly, then left and started back to where my vehicle was parked.”
Too bad Lonnie Coffman was carrying around an unregistered handgun on his person.
And too bad for Coffman that the police found the following in his truck:
Items found in Coffman’s truck parked near the Capitol that day included 11 Molotov cocktails in mason jars, a loaded 9 mm handgun, a loaded rifle, several large-capacity ammunition-feeding devices loaded with more than 10 rounds of rifle ammunition, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a crossbow with bolts, several machetes, camouflage smoke devices, and stun gun.
All You Need to Know: Machin Get Money From Big Oil. Alaska Gets It's Money From Oil
There's growing momentum in Congress to ban US imports of Russian oil.
A bipartisan bill, unveiled this week by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, would do just that.
Is Russia Becoming North Korea?
Major international news outlets including the BBC, CNN and Bloomberg will suspend operations in Russia in response to a new law criminalizing news reports that contradict the Kremlin’s version of the war in Ukraine.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law that criminalizes spreading what the government deems to be fake news, The Associated Press reported.
Under the new measure, a statement as simple as referring to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as a “war” rather than a “special military operation” could constitute criminal disinformation, according to The New York Times.
Punishment could include fines or up to three years’ imprisonment, with 15 years possible if authorities decide a report had “severe consequences.”
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Today's Best Person in the World Nominees
We're Going to Miss Jen
I Usually Hate Influencers, But She's Not Giving Makeup Tips
Marta Vasyuta is a regular 20-year-old Ukrainian. And like many people of her age she's on TikTok.
Until last week she had a few hundred followers on the video-sharing app. She posted videos from nights out, and lip-synced to her favourite music.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, she happened to be in the UK visiting friends she'd met at university. She watched in horror at reports of Russian bombs falling on Kyiv.
What she did next turned Marta into a TikTok influencer - almost overnight.
Since 23 February, the videos she's posted from the conflict in Ukraine have garnered tens of millions of views. For many people on TikTok, and in particular younger people, she's become a key curator of news on the ground in Ukraine.
"I just want people to understand that Ukraine is not only a problem of Ukrainians, it's everyone's problem," she says.
Marta speaks fluent Ukrainian, Russian and English.
At Least It's Only Excused Administrative Leave
A Florida high school student has been suspended indefinitely after handing out pride flags during a walkout to protest the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Flagler Palm Coast High School junior Jack Petocz helped organize a statewide walkout on Thursday to protest House Bill 1557, a hugely controversial measure that would prohibit school instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
About 500 students at his Palm Coast school participated in Thursday’s walkout, chanting, “Say gay!” Petocz handed out 200 pride flags he said he purchased with his own money. Students had been given just 15 minutes to protest.
Petocz told the Daytona Beach News-Journal he was called into the principal’s office after the protest, “told I was disrespectful and openly advocating against staff.”
“They suspended me from campus until further notice. I informed the principal I wasn’t going to speak with him and was going to talk to a lawyer,” Petocz added.
He said an hour before the protest, the principal pulled him aside and specifically complained about the flags. “He told me I wouldn’t be allowed to [distribute the flags]. He went further to question the intentions of our protest, asking if pride flags were relevant to opposition to the bill.”
A spokesperson for the Flagler school district insisted in a statement to the Daytona newspaper that Petocz had not been suspended but had been “placed on excused administrative leave” while school officials investigate.
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Invasions Have Consequences
They're Getting Hungrier in Those Sheet-Hole Countries
Even in the weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, food prices in many African countries had already been exploding. The price of wheat flour has risen by 15 percent over last year’s prices, and it is a third higher for cooking oil. But the war in Ukraine promises to make the situation even worse. "Already, 276 million people in 81 countries are facing acute hunger. The world simply cannot afford an additional conflict," says Martin Frick, director of the World Food Program (WFP) in Germany.
He says that more than half of the foodstuffs that WFP distributes in crisis regions around the world comes from Ukraine. "Putin’s war isn’t just bringing immeasurable suffering to Ukraine," Frick says. "The effects will be felt far beyond the region."
The Credit Cards Don't Work 'Cause the Vandals Took the Handles
Visa and Mastercard announced Saturday evening that the companies will suspend all operations in Russia, following a plea to do so made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a videoconference earlier in the day with U.S. lawmakers.
“Cards issued by Russian banks will no longer be supported by the Mastercard network. And any Mastercard issued outside of the country will not work at Russian merchants or ATMs,” said a statement from the company.
As for Visa, transactions “initiated with Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside the country, and any Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside of Russia will no longer work within the Russian Federation,” according to a statement from Visa Inc.
Visa will also no longer support domestic transactions in Russia, according to the company. All transactions will be the responsibility of Russia’s National Payment Card System, NSPK.
Vlad the Invader Wanted to Weaken NATO
The Russians Are Leaving! The Russians are Leaving!
At Vaalimaa, Finland's border crossing with Russia - 120 miles east of Helsinki - buses and cars stop for passport and customs checks. These aren't Ukrainians, they're Russians, and although the flow isn't heavy, it is constant.
Some people are anxious to get out of Russia because there has been a persistent rumour that President Vladimir Putin's government might soon introduce martial law to deal with demonstrations against the invasion of Ukraine.
With flights to Europe halted, the only way out of the country is by car - crossing this border - or by train.
No More Hairpin Turns for Mazepin
Russian driver Nikita Mazepin has been sacked by the Haas team as a result of his country's invasion of Ukraine.
The US-based outfit have also terminated the contract of their title sponsor, the Russian chemicals company Uralkali.
Uralkali is part-owned by Mazepin's billionaire father Dmitry, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, through his company Uralchem.
Haas said news on Mazepin's replacement was expected early next week.
He Was Caught Committing a BUWB (Backing Up While Black)
A former Kansas City police officer convicted in the killing in 2019 of a Black man who was backing a pickup truck into his garage was sentenced Friday to six years in prison and will remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed.
Eric DeValkenaere, who's White, was sentenced to three years for the involuntary manslaughter of Cameron Lamb and six years for armed criminal actions, Valerie Hartman, a spokesperson for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court, told CNN.
The fatal shooting happened on December 3, 2019, when DeValkenaere and his partner responded to a traffic incident involving a red pickup truck in Kansas City, according to the indictment.
A police helicopter had observed a red pickup truck driving, and entering a driveway at the back of a home. The officers, dressed in plain clothes and wearing police department vests, arrived at the home and entered the backyard without a legal warrant and with their guns drawn, the indictment states.
Lamb was "slowly backing" the pickup truck down a ramp into the basement garage, and DeValkenaere's partner was on Lamb's side of the truck and could see him when he arrived. The officers attempted to tell Lamb to stop, but it's unclear whether he heard them, the indictment says.
DeValkenaere fired four times at Lamb, claiming he saw Lamb's left hand reach for a gun and point it at his partner.
"I remember thinking, 'No, this can't happen. I can't let this happen," DeValkenaere said, on the witness stand during the trial, reports KSHB.
"You can't let him shoot Troy?" defense attorney Molly Hastings asked.
"Right," DeValkenaere said before grabbing a Kleenex to dab tears from his eyes.
But according to his partner, Lamb had his left hand on the steering wheel, with his fingers spread apart, and Lamb also held up his left hand with no gun in it, the indictment states. Two of the bullets struck Lamb, it says.
Investigators identified a gun on the ground beneath Lamb's left hand where the truck finally came to rest, the indictment said.
Lamb was right-handed, and medical records later showed that he did not have full use of his left hand due to an injury before the shooting, it said.
Don't They Also Need a Police Force For Unicorn Crime and Orc Crime?
The Florida Senate passed a voting law package Friday that was pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and would create a police force dedicated to pursuing election crimes.
The chamber approved the bill on a party lines vote with nearly all Republicans in support. House lawmakers are considering companion legislation.
DeSantis, a Republican, proposed the need for an election police unit last year, citing unspecified allegations of fraud that have gained traction in parts of the GOP following former President Donald Trump's false claims that his reelection was stolen.
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Headline of the Week: "Stolen box of human heads investigated by Denver police"
The box was being transported for medical research purposes, police said in an email.
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What Do Jobs Numbers Really Mean?
Friday was a good day for U.S. economic news, at least on the employment front. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the country added 678,000 jobs in February, and that’s coming off of 2021’s run of good reports.
But before anyone runs around trumpeting that number, it might be better to see what the “revised” figures look like next month — and beyond. Because the last year has shown just how hard it is to get a handle on the economy in a world dominated by a global pandemic.
When you look at the first reported jobs numbers and their later revisions since last January, you see a stark difference between “real-time” data (or close to real-time data) and data that has been vetted and analyzed. There have been some enormous swings.
Why Put Out Numbers You Know Are Wrong?
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Hurry Up and Dump Your Soda Bottles in the Ocean. You Only Have 2 More Years.
The fifth United Nations (U.N.) Environment Assembly concluded with a bit of good news: 14 resolutions were adopted that align with the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, one of which commits to putting an end to plastic pollution. The “end plastic pollution” resolution that was unanimously approved by 175 member nations lays the groundwork for a treaty “that addresses the full lifecycle of plastic from source to sea,” according to a fact sheet. There is much to consider when reducing and eliminating plastic waste, including plastic reusability, addressing microplastics that have wreaked havoc on ecosystems, and finding a way to sustainably produce and consume plastic goods. The agreement, which now must be created, will be adopted by 2024.
Another Urgent Crisis We Will Try to Fix in a Few Years. Maybe. Unless Something Else Comes Up.
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Ukraine Is Winning a Few
One Hundred Went In. Four Came Out
Did You Know Aeroflop Doesn't Own Any of It's Planes and They Could Be Repossessed? Tough Job for a Repo Man.
Murdering Women and Children Isn't All Fun and Games
Attack of the Killer Cucumbers
In Kyiv a woman knocked down a Russian drone from a balcony with a jar of cucumbers. How did they expect to occupy this country?
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Who Won the Week?
Chef José Andrés, for setting up a massive kitchen operation at the Ukraine-Poland border to serve hot food to refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion
All the nations (even perpetually-neutral Switzerland) that are freezing virtually every Russian asset they can get their hands on
President Biden: Boffo SOTU address; new "test-to-treat" Covid protocols get rave reviews; managing international response to Russia's invasion with quiet efficiency, as Putin feared
The Ukrainian people---even the grandmothers---for putting up a much fiercer fight against the demoralized Russian army than anyone predicted, including open mockery to their faces
The UN General Assembly, for voting to condemn Russia over its invasion; and the 140 Human Rights Council members who walked out on foreign minister Lavrov's speech
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for achieving hero status by donning combat boots and fighting the Russians in the streets with his military and citizens
Social media, as the freezing of Russian assets causes a virtual disappearance of trolls disguised as "freedom-loving American veteran Christian patriots" on Twitter, Facebook, etc.
The Russian people who are defying their war criminal dictator by protesting in cities across the country, many getting jailed for it (even kids)
The Justice Dept., for securing a guilty plea of seditious conspiracy against, and cooperation from, a leader of the Oath Keepers terrorist group, blowing the Jan. 6 investigation wide open
Joe Biden
Overall approval rating jumped to 47%, up 8 points from the NPR poll last month. Presidents don't generally see much, if any bounce, out of a State of the Union address. Since 1978, there had only been six times when a president saw an approval rating improve 4 points or more following State of the Union addresses, according to the pollsters. Three of those bounces were for former President Bill Clinton.
Ukraine handling is up 18 points to 52%.
Coronavirus pandemic handling is now 55%, up 8 points.
Economic handling up 8 points to 45%.
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You Can't Spell "Crypt" Without Crypto
Many major cryptocurrency exchanges put forth defiant statements this week when Ukraine asked them to freeze any accounts belonging to Russians, with some exchanges calling upon crypto’s history of libertarian ideals to back up their decisions.
More quietly, however, many were complying with the sanctions plan aimed at devastating the Russian economy.
The gap between the words and actions of crypto’s biggest players points to the challenges that the crypto community now faces as a mainstream industry in the midst of a geopolitical and humanitarian crisis — one that now looks like a defining moment for cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum.
On the Ukrainian side, digital coins have lived up to their reputation for easily moving money across international borders, as sympathizers with the Ukrainian cause have raised the equivalent of more than $54 million through cryptocurrency donations.
But on the Russian side, the supposedly borderless form of money has instead collided with the reality of international sanctions spurred by a major European conflict — and also the moral question of whether participants in the crypto markets could unwittingly help fuel a war of aggression or help Russian oligarchs preserve their wealth.
In between, cryptocurrency exchanges and bitcoin hardliners — both of whom have espoused what they say is the libertarian ethos embedded in crypto — have had to wrestle with tough questions about just how much they want to embrace a technology that critics argue has little practical value aside from money laundering and investment hedging while requiring huge amounts of electricity and the burning of fossil fuels.
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They Want Churchill to Be Charles de Gaulle
U.S. and allies quietly prepare for a Ukrainian government-in-exile and a long insurgency
The Ukrainian military has mounted an unexpectedly fierce defense against invading Russian forces, which have been dogged by logistical problems and flagging morale. But the war is barely two weeks old, and in Washington and European capitals, officials anticipate that the Russian military will reverse its early losses, setting the stage for a long, bloody insurgency.
The ways that Western countries would support a Ukrainian resistance are beginning to take shape. Officials have been reluctant to discuss detailed plans, since they’re premised on a Russian military victory that, however likely, hasn’t happened yet. But as a first step, Ukraine’s allies are planning for how to help establish and support a government-in-exile, which could direct guerrilla operations against Russian occupiers, according to several U.S. and European officials.
The weapons the United States has provided to Ukraine’s military, and that continue to flow into the country, would be crucial to the success of an insurgent movement, officials said. The Biden administration has asked Congress, infused with a rare bipartisan spirit in defense of Ukraine, to take up a $10 billion humanitarian aid and military package that includes funding to replenish the stocks of weapons that have already been sent.
Should the United States and its allies choose to back an insurgency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be the pivotal force, officials said, maintaining morale and rallying Ukrainians living under Russian occupation to resist their powerful and well-equipped foe.
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I Don't Know If This is True
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Irony Alert: Facebook and Reliable Information?
Facebook has hit out at a ban on its platforms introduced in Russia on Friday amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Russia's communications regulator said the ban was a response to restrictions placed on its media there.
It said there had been 26 cases of "discrimination" against Russian media by Facebook since October 2020.
There were also reports that the use of Twitter had been restricted by the Russian regulator, Roskomnadzor, on Friday evening.
Facebook's president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, said that "soon millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information".
Facebook had previously been limited in the country, along with platforms including Twitter.
It's Scary to Think that Facebook Was More Reliable Than the Russian Media
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Here Are Some Truckers I Can Get Behind
Inadequate truck parking over the past several decades is one reason why truckers have left the industry, contributing to the nationwide shortage of roughly 80,000 drivers that has exacerbated global supply chain issues, experts say.
“The answer is absolutely, yes. It’s one of the top reasons why they are leaving,” Daniel Murray, senior vice-president of the American Transportation Research Institute, said of the lack of truck parking. “When truck parking goes south, they just throw up their hands and say ‘I’m out of here’ and find another job that doesn’t create the stress and anxiety.”
The American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association last month asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to use funding from the federal infrastructure bill to construct designated parking areas for truckers to improve safety and working conditions.
“The scarcity of truck parking spaces across the country decreases safety for all highway users, exacerbates the industry’s long-standing workforce challenges, contributes negatively to driver health and well-being and diminishes trucking productivity,” the groups wrote Feb. 18.
The associations said truckers move more than 70 percent of the country’s domestic freight.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said during a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing Tuesday that the agency is "very concerned" about the lack of parking.
Although I Hate Being Behind a Truck.
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